Heir Apparent
Formerly 'Merlin's Little Brother'.
By Lady Sardonyx and Lady Aster
Authors' Notes:
Title: Heir Apparent
Author(s): Lady Sardonyx; Lady Aster
Rating: K
Status: In Progress
Summary: Harry was thrown back into Merlin's time due to a birthday wish. There, he becomes Merlin's brother and lives a life of wonder. But what of the Wizarding World? When will Harry come back to be its savior? Used to be 'Merlin's Little Brother'
Disclaimer: Lady Sardonyx and Lady Aster announced that they do not own Harry Potter. This announcement was generally met with complete belief. (Disclaimer written by Lady Sardonyx)
CHAPTER TWO
Harrison reached for the toy, leaning over his chair so far, it was a miracle he had not fallen already. His tiny hand had almost grasped the toy when suddenly he fell. He screamed as time seemed to slow. His mother and his nanny, who had been quietly talking in the corner, rushed toward him. Myrddin stretched out his arms from his chair, as if in an effort to slow Harrison's fall. Suddenly Harrison felt something in himself and his brother, slowing down his fall. He floated down onto his feet, where his mother, Princess Adelaide, immediately grabbed him. She shook him, her face white, and then hugged him tightly. "Are you okay, Harrison?" she babbled. "Don't do that to me ever again."
He nodded happily. "I floated down, Mama! Did you see that!"
Fear flickered across her face. Harrison turned to Nurse and saw the fear on his mother's face mirrored in her eyes. He cocked his head in surprise. "Did I do something wrong?"
"No, no. Nothing's wrong. I was just worried." The princess's hands shook. "Continue playing." She and Nurse walked quickly out of the room.
Harrison turned innocent eyes toward his older twin, and was relieved to find amazement, rather than fear in Myrddin's eyes. 'Wow.'
"I know."
"Hey, I didn't say anything out aloud!"
'You didn't?'
"No, I didn't!"
"Wow!"
A light dawned in Myrddin's eyes. "Maybe we can speak telepathically! Let's try." The three-year-olds concentrated.
'MYRDDIN? CAN YOU HEAR ME?'
'OW! Harry, stop yelling into my head!'
'Oh. Sorry, Myrddin.'
"Mother! Mother!" Young Myrrdin scrambled to his feet, after having fallen from the tree he had been climbing. "Are you alright, Mother?" His innocent eyes peered at her shocked face, confused. "Mother?"
"Myrddin..." she croaked out. "Are you--" A demon like we feared? Tainted? Immune to the cleansing spell we did on you at your birth? A monster?
"Are you alright?" the Princess Adelaide asked.
Myrddin looked up, quickly. "I'm fine, Mother! I just fell, that's all!"
"Be careful; you scared me," his mother chastised, even though her heart wasn't into it. She held Myrddin tightly.
"Okay, Mother!" Myrddin, tossing her a charming grin, ran off for some mischief with his equally mischievous twin, Harrison.
Princess Adelaide leaned, tired, against the old oak tree and stared up into green leaves. Her head was filled with doubt and her mind whispered traitorous thoughts.
Magic...
The oak tree was close to fifty years old.
It was a thirty feet fall from where Myrddin had fallen.
'Myrddin?' A four-year-old Harrison ran around, looking for his twin. 'Myrrdin!' he yelled in his mind.
"Harry?"
Harrison turned around. "Oh, there you are. Mama told us to come to her room. She wants to tell us something."
"Mother, not Mama. It's more proper to call her Mother, Harry."
"Well, I like Mama, so there!" Harrison stuck his tongue out at his brother.
Myrddin rolled his eyes with all the seniority of an older twin and started walking toward his mother's rooms.
Harrison raced past him. 'Race you to Mama's room!' Myrddin heard his brother's laughter in his head.
He sighed and ran after his brother.
As they entered their mother's rooms, they slowed down and walked in a more dignified manner toward their mother, who was writing in her diary on her bed.
"Hello, Mother."
"Hi, Mama!"
"Hello, Myrddin, Harrison. Here, come closer." The princess set aside her diary and beckoned to them. Myrddin and Harrison clambered onto the large bed with some difficulty and sat happily next to their mother, grinning widely. "How are you?"
"Very well, Mother."
"Great, Mama! I love your summer palace!" Harrison beamed. Myrddin rolled his eyes mentally.
"I'm glad you think so, my sons." Princess Adelaide paused for a moment. Her face took on a disappointed expression. "How many vases have you broken since we've come here?"
"Er…" Harrison nervously glanced at Myrddin. "I'm sorry!" He turned innocent emerald-green eyes onto his mother.
"I believe we've broken… one… or two… or maybe three?"
Princess Adelaide sighed. "You cannot go around breaking these vases, my sons. They are very valuable and not easily replaced. It is at least good that you have not broken the most ornate ones."
"Yes, mother," they chorused, properly chastised. "We'll try not to do it again!" The twins could never bear to see the disappointed look in their mother's eyes.
"Of course you will not," a voice laughed. Her voice was as warm as the golden sunlight that streamed through the window, and as soothing as a mother's cool hand on your forehead when you were sick with fever.
Princess Adelaide whipped her head around, searching for the source of the voice. She looked where her sons' heads were turned, staring at the newcomer in fascination. She turned around and gasped.
The beautiful lady had long, golden-red hair that streamed down her back in waves that seemed like the late summer sun and eyes that were pools of brown with amber and gold. The light glimmered off her hair in all the colors of the sun, so that one moment it seemed red, then orange, then gold… Her skin was pale and she had a light dusting of freckles across her nose. It was Lady Brigid, Goddess of Fire and a Lady of Avalon.
"Lady Brigid," the princess gasped, prostrating herself before the goddess. The twins copied their mother.
"Stand up, children."
Myrddin and Harrison got up, but their mother shook her head. "I couldn't! Not in the presence of one such as my Lady."
"Adelaide, I shall not be offended if you stand." Reluctantly, their mother stood up.
Lady Brigid looked at her in the eye. "I think you know who I have come for, child."
In the princess's eyes was painful understanding. "You've come to take my babies from me, haven't you!"
The goddess smiled. "Only to train their power. They shall be visiting me every summer. I promise to you, as a mother to a mother, that they shall return unharmed."
The princess nodded, too grieved to speak.
"And don't be frightened, child. I assure you that their power does not come from the demons. Now. Come here, Myrddin, Harry. They turned toward her mother, and, seeing her nod, walked toward the goddess.
'I wonder where we're going, Myrddin.'
'Somewhere Mother doesn't know, Harry.'
Lady Brigid lay a slender, white hand on each of their heads. Suddenly, they appeared in front of a pair of large, silver gates covered with a thick mist that snaked all around, like it had a life of its own.
As if sensing their thoughts, the goddess spoke. "The mist is magic, my children, cloaking Avalon from the evil that seeks to find it.
"Magic?" asked Myrddin. "Mother says we mustn't do magic because it comes from the devil. But"—he looked pensive for a second—"Avalon probably wouldn't let us in if our magic came from the devil. And humans have passed through its gates. So you must be able to have different magic."
"Well said, Myrddin. You are correct."
"That's amazing! Are you going to teach us magic, Lady Brigid?" Harrison asked excitedly. "I love magic!" Leaning forward, he confided in a whisper, "I still do it when my Mama can't see me."
The goddess laughed, a lovely laugh that warmed your heart. "Yes, Harrison. I will." She paused for a moment. "Come now, through the gate."
As if sensing their intent, the gates slowly opened. They walked through the gates and onto a cool, misty path.
"Follow me." The Lady Brigid walked briskly forward for about five minutes, then stopped at the fork in the road. "Hmmm… where should I take you first?"
"Where would you rather go if you were without us?" Harrison asked.
Lady Brigid smiled and took the left path. They soon came upon a beautiful glade, where 19 other goddesses were lounging. "Meet the other Goddesses of Avalon, Myrddin and Harrison!"
Pointing to each of them in turn, she said, "This is Anu, Danu, Mab, Morrigan, Madron, Mary, Arianrhod, Cerridwen, Rhiannon, Epona, Rigantona, Bride, Hecate, Magdalena, Morgana, Gwenhwyfar, Vivien, and Nimuë."
"Pleased to meet you, Ladies." Myrddin bowed.
Harry, half hidden behind his brother, waved shyly.
"Girls, this is Myrddin." Lady Brigid gestured toward the boy. "And this is Harrison."
"Harry, if you please," he corrected.
"Harry. Your true name, I believe. Harry. A strong, noble name," Lady Vivien whispered. She had white-blonde, silvery hair and bright blue eyes which seemed to be looking past him.
Lady Mary, a warm, motherly-looking goddess, wiped a few tears from her eyes. She had glossy brown hair and kind brown eyes. "Such beautiful children, the Potters," she murmured.
Something flickered in the back of Harrison's head. He thought for a moment, but brushed it away as something his Mama had said a long time ago.
"Mary!" Lady Danu, another goddess, reprimanded gently. She had long, wavy, auburn hair that seemed to sparkle in the light, and exotic golden eyes.
"My friends," spoke Lady Brigid, "Myrddin and Harrison shall be inducted into Avalon."
The goddesses nodded.
"It has been a long time since such drastic measures were needed," Lady Cerridwen remarked flicking a lock of straight black hair from her wise, silver eyes.
"Poor babes. So much danger in their lives!" sighed another goddess, Lady Madron, her brown, blue-specked eyes sorrowful.
Myrddin and Harrison stared at her and wondered what danger she meant.
Lady Morgana smiled, her robes flaring around her, and her eyes—her eyes the color of a stormy ocean, all gray and green and blue—blazed. "But power—I sense it stirring beneath their skin. It is strong, very strong. The likes of it have not been seen for so long."
The other goddesses nodded. "Who is inducting them, Brigid? Bride has been unusually tight-lipped about the induction."
Now why would Lady Bride know? Myrddin wondered.
'Maybe because Lady Bride is the same person as Lady Brigid, but just a younger version.' Harrison answered.
Myrddin started. 'Aii, don't do that to me. But your hypothesis is probably true, despite the fact that they don't really look alike.' The twins turned their attention back on the goddesses as Lady Brigid spoke.
"All of Them."
All of the other goddesses, except for Lady Bride, gasped.
"All? Magic, Soul, Spirit, Memory, and Time?" asked an incredulous Lady Nimuë, her aquamarine eyes wide.
Lady Brigid nodded.
"Then we shall come as well," Lady Anu intoned, her green and gold eyes swirling with power.
Harrison and Myrddin stared in awe at the fine clothes they had been given. Although they had seen clothes woven with gold threads before, the robes that they wore now seemed to shimmer in the light.
"Harrison, Myrddin. It is time," Lady Morgana called. The twins hurried towards her.
'Time? Time for what?' Harry wondered.
'Perhaps for the induction,' Myrddin suggested. 'That's what the goddesses said.'
'Maybe...' Harry wondered as they followed the waiting maiden to the arena.
Harrison and Myrddin stepped up to the platform, Harry looking nervous. He shot a glance at his twin, who retained his calm facade. Lucky... Harry pouted. Myrddin doesn't look nervous at all!
A pale woman with light eyes and hair approached them. "I am Soul," she murmured. "I bless you with purity." She kissed boththeir foreheads, leaving a small golden mark that lingered for a few seconds before fading.
Soul stepped back, dipping her head in a stately manner, and a man, tall, dark and handsome, appeared before them. He gave them a charming grin and stated, "I bless you with wholeness and strength to do good for I am Spirit." Spirit waved his hand over Harrison's and Myrddin's head, causing dark sparks to fall on them and glitter before fading like the kiss.
A child stood in front of them now; a small, meek girl-child with chocolate hair. Smiling like only a child can, she whispered, "I hope you live a long life. I, Time, decree it so." The flower that she handed them burst into dust, leaving a tingling sensation where it landed.
"I, Memory, do gift you with silence." An old man with a long, silver beard and twinkling grey eyes appeared behind the small girl, staring at the two boys.
Behind Harrison and Myrddin, a voice intoned, "I am Magic and I bless you with my ability."
The boys spun around, searching for the voice, but saw nothing but smoke and mist. A light chuckle came from within the smoke. "I wish you luck, my children."
Soul, Spirit, Time and Memory bowed. "And we, as the Bearers, do bless the two ChosenHarrison and Myrddinwith these abilities. We wish you well."
They vanished suddenly, not even a wisp of smoke to show their disappearance.
The watching goddesses stood up. "And we, the Ladies of Avalon, accept Harrison and Myrddin as Children of Avalon, bearers of Magic, to keep the Balance between the dark and light."
At the sound of their words, a great swirl of magic surrounded Harrison and Myrddin. All Harrison remembered was pain—incredible pain, pain beyond anything he had ever experienced, pain so harsh it was unimaginable—and then curious brown eyes looking down at him before he spiraled into sweet, soft darkness.
Lady Aster: Reviews are very good. We smile at people who give reviews.
Lady Sardonyx: Criticism, especially constructive criticism is grudgedly appreciated. Flames, on the other hand, are fun to read.
Lady Aster: Thank you and happy reading! (And reviewing!)